Apparatus for use in forms for concrete



pyil l, 196g J. E. PERSON ET AL APPARATUS FOR USE IN FORMS FOR CONCRETE Filed Aug. l5, 1966 FIGI INVENTOR rs'on ited States Patent O U.S. Cl. 249-192 7 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure is for apparatus for making forms for concrete. It comprises a combination of a drawbar and shoes yfor drawing closer together adjacent panels and also for drawing closer together opposed panels so as to make a more substantial and a better form for receiving concrete.

An object of this invention is a provision of an apparatus for use in making forms for receiving wet and uncured concrete and which apparatus can be easily applied to the forms; to provide such an apparatus of a forthright and simple construction; to provide such an apparatus wherein nails are not required for the apparatus to function properly; to provide such an apparatus which is rugged and durable; to provide such an apparatus which can be used numerous times without damage or noticeable show of wear; and, to provide such an apparatus which can be manufactured and sold at a lo-w cost.

These and other important objects and advantages of the invention will be more particularly brought forth upon reference to the accompanying drawings, the detailed specification of the invention and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the use of such apparatus for positioning t-wo adjacent panels in a concrete form;

FIGURE 2, taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE l, is a lateral cross sectional view of a wall using the apparatus and which Wall has concrete between panels;

FIGURE 3, taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, is a cross sectional view illustrating a detail of construction of the apparatus; and,

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view illustrating a modified form of the apparatus which may be employed for positioning three wall panels in a form for a concrete wall.

In the formation of a concrete wall it is necessary to make forms for receiving the wet and uncured concrete. One of the -ways of making these forms is to use sheets of plywood. For example the plywood may be 4' x 4 or 4 x 8', to name a few. The thickness of the plywood may be a half inch or three-quarter inch depending upon the structure. It is to be realized that the panels are sufliciently braced against lateral movement. One of the ways to brace the panels is to drive two by fours into the ground so as to prevent the lateral movement of the panels. Further, there are spacer blocks between the panels so as to achieve the desired thickness of wall.

In the formation of the forms for receiving the wet concrete in the past it has not been possi-ble to draw tightly together the adjacent edges of the plywood panels. As a result with the pouring of the wet concrete into the forms some of the concrete in the form of a mixture of sand, cement and water work between the edges of the adjacent panels. Upon drying there is formed a ridge. With the removal of the forms from the concrete wall this ridge is readily noticeable on the wall. If the wall is to he used for finished purposes or is to be painted so as to be more decorative it is necessary to remove the ridge either by scouring with sandpaper, a bric-k or other suitable abrasive means.

With this in mind we have invented an apparatus which can Ibe readily used for drawing together adjacent panels in a concrete form so as to have the edges of the panels bearing tightly against each other. In this manner it is not possible for a ridge of concrete to form as there is no void or open space for the mixture of cement, sand and water to iiow between the plywood panels.

In FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a concrete form 10. This form ten comprises two plywood panels 12 and 14. The plywood panel 12 has a vertical edge 16. The plywood panel 14 has a vertical edge 118. It is seen that the edges 16 and 18 are `adjacent to each other and abut each other. Also, in FIGURE 1 it is seen that the invention 20 is of suflicient length to overlap the adjacent edges 16 and 18 and also to extend a sutlicient distance across the panels 12 and 14.

The invention 20 comprises a drawbar 22 which is essentially a iiat plate. On the upper edge of the drawbar 22 there is a stiffener lbar 24 at right angles to 22. With reference to FIGURE 3 and in conjunction with FIGURE 1 it is seen that the plate 22 has an upwardly inclined slot 26. There is welded to the outer surface of the plate 22 a shoe 28. The shoe 28 is of Awell-known construction and has been used for many years in making forms for receiving wet concrete. The shoe 28 may be welded at 30 to the front face of the plate 22. As is well known the shoe 28 has an inclined bearing surface 32 and a slot 34. The slot 34 overlies the slot 26 in the flat plate 22. Also, at the lower end of the shoe 28 or the lower end of the inclined ledge 32 and the slot 34 there is an enlarged opening 36. In FIGURE l it is seen that there are two spaced apart slots 26, two spaced apart shoes 28 with slots 34. The spaced apart slots 26 and 34 are not parallel to each other but convenge toward each other upon going from the lower edge 38 of the plate 22 toward the stiffener bar 24.

In FIGURE 2, taken on line 2 2 of FIGURE l, there is illustrated a lateral vertical cross sectional View of a concrete lwall with forms intact. As the panels, drawbar 20 and shoe 28 are the same, the same reference numerals will be used for the articles on both sides of the wall 40 but the articles on the left side of the wall lwill be referred to with a prime number. It is seen that there is a plywood panel 12, a drawbar 20, and a shoe 28 integral with the drawbar. Further, on the left side of the wall there is a plywood panel 12', a drawbar 20', and a shoe 28. As is a usual custom in the making of forms for a concrete wall there is a tie rod 42 having t'wo enlarged circular ends 44 and 44'. With respect to FIGUR-ES 1 and 3 it is seen that the shoes 28 may be placed over the tie rod 42 with the ends 44 and 44 passing through the opening 36 in the lower end of the shoe. Then, a person may pound on the stitfener bars 24 and 24 so as to drive the drawbars 20 and 20' and the shoes 28 and 28' downwardly. It is seen that lby driving the drawbars 20 and 20 downwardly that the panels 12 and 14 are drawn together so as to have a tight and snug lit between the edges 16 of the panel 12 and 18 of the panel 14. Likewise, it is similar for a panel 12 and a panel 14'. Further, as is well known with the use of shoes the panels 12 and 12 are forced close together as the slides 32 are directed upwardly and outwardly. After the edges of the panels have been brought together to have a snug and tight tit then the concrete 46 may he poured between the panels 12 and 12 to form the concrete Wall.

In FIGURE 4 there is illustrated a modified drawbar 50. It is seen that this drawbar 50 is of suicient length to overlap the edge of a rst panel 52, a second panel 54 and the edge of a third panel 56. The drawbar 50 comprises a base plate 58 having a stiffener bar 60 on the upper edge and which stiffener bar 60 proects forwardly and is substantially at right angles to the base of the base plate 58. Further, there is a lower edge 62. In approximately the center of the drawbar 50 there is an opening and slot 64. A shoe 66 having a passageway 68 therein is welded to the base plate '58 with the passageway 68 aligned with the opening 64. Similarly, near the left end which overlaps the panel 52 there are four passageways 70 leading from the lower edge inwardly. Likewise, there are 4 shoes 66 having passageways 68 therein. The passageways 68 overlie the passageways or slots 70. It is seen that the four passageways 70 and the four shoes 66 at the left end are substantially parallel and with respect to the passageways 64 converge upon going from the lower edge 62 towards the stiffener bar 60. Further, it is seen that on the right end of the drawbar 50 that there are four passageways 72 leading from the lower edge 62 towards the stiiener bar 60. And, there are four shoes `66 having [four slots 68. The slots 68 and the shoes are aligned with 4the slots 72 in the base 58 of the drawbar S0. Further, it is seen that the four slots 72 at the right end of the drawbar 50 are substantially parallel to each other and with respect to the slots 64 in the center of the drawbar 50 converge upon going from the lower edge 62 towards the stiffener bar 60.

The panel 52 has an edge 76 adjacent to the edge 78 of the panel 54. The panel 54 has an edge 80 adjacent to an edge 82 of the panel 56.

It is seen that the shoes 66 are placed over the heads 44 of the tie rods 42. Then, the drawbar 50 may be pounded downwardly by pounding on the stilfener bar 60. The panel 54 remains substantially stationary. However, upon the downward movement of the drawbar 50 the panel 52 is drawn inwardly or towards the panel 54 so that the edges 76 and 78 lit snug to each other and bear against each other. Likewise, ywith the downward movement of the drawbar IS the panel 56 is drawn and forced inwardly so that the edge 82 of the panel 56 moves towards the edge 80 of the panel 54 so as to bear against the edge 80 and to fit snug therewith.

From the foregoing it is seen that I 'have provided an inexpensive and readily usable apparatus for drawing together adjacent edges of panels used in the construction of forms .for concrete walls, be such panels plywood or metal or of other materials of construction. This apparatus makes it possible to eliminate ridges of cement and sand between adjacent edges of the panels upon the drying of the cement and sand and the removal of the panels from the wall. Further, this apparatus can be removed from the form for the concrete wall and used repeatedly.

Having presented my invention what I claim is:

1. An apparatus for drawing together edges of panels in concrete forms, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a rst means of sufcient length to overlap the adjacent edges of lirst and second adjacent panels;

(b) a tirst slot and a second slot in the rst means;

(c) said iirst and second slots being spa-ced apart;

(d) said rst and second slots being at an angle of less than 90 with each other;

(e) said slots adapted to receive tie rods;

(-f) each of said slots having a iirst end for receiving a tie rod and a. second end; and

(g) the distance between the second ends of the first slot and the second slot being less than the distance between the irst ends of the first slot and the second slot.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 and comprising:

(a) said rst means comprising a plate; and,

(b) with the center lines of the slots being extended to intersect, said angle between the center lines being less than 90.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 and comprising:

(a) a first shoe having a third slot;

(b) a second shoe having a fourth slot;

(c) said first shoe being attached to the plate with the third slot aligned with the lirst slot; and,

(d) said second shoe being attached to the plate with the fourth slot aligned with the second slot.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 and comprising:

(a) said first means being of sufficient length to overllap the edges of three panels;

(b) said irst slot being near a iirst end of the iirst means;

(c) said second slot being near a second end of the second means;

(d) a third slot between the irst and second slots; and,

(e) with the centerlines of the first and second slots being extended to intersect said angle between the centerlines being less than 90.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 and comprising:

(a) a rst shoe having a fourth slot;

(b) a second shoe having a fifth slot;

(c) a third shoe having a sixth slot;

(d) said irst shoe being attached to the rst means with the fourth slot aligned with the iirst slot;

(e) said second shoe 'being attached to the rst means with the fifth slot aligned with the second slot; and,

(f) said third shoe lbeing attached to the rst means with the sixth slot aligned with the third slot.

6. A combination of panels in concrete forms and an apparatus for drawing together the edges of said panels, said combination comprising:

(a) a iirst panel;

(b) a second panel;

(c) said first panel and said second panel having adjacent edges;

(d) a first tie rod in the first panel;

(e) a second tie rod in the second panel;

(f) said apparatus comprising a drawbar;

(g) said drawbar being of suiiicient length to overlap the adjacent edges of the rst and second panels;

(h) a first slot and a second slot in the drawbar;

(i) said first slot mating with the rst tie rod and said second slot mating with the second tie rod;

(j) each of said slots having a rst end for receiving a tie rod and a second end; and,

(k) the distance between the second ends of the irst slot and the second slot being less than the distance between the rst ends of the rst slot and the second slot.

7. A combination according to claim 6 and comprising:

v( a) a third panel;

(b) said second panel and said third panel having adjacent edges;

(c) a third peg in the third panel;

(d) said drawbar Ibeing of sufficient length to overlap the adjacent edges of the iirst and second panels, and the adjacent edges of the second and third panels; and,

(e) said third slot mating with the third peg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,055,076 9/ 1962 Van Helden et al. 249-45 3,167,840 2/ 1965 Hoiman 249-193 3,199,828 8/1965 Newton 25-131 X 3,327,986 6/ 1967 Oury 249-219 I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

J. S. BROWN, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

